The Year 2003 is off to a great start! Our chapter is on track and thanks to you we will continue to achieve our mission and goals for this program year.

What a superb January luncheon meeting at the National Finance Center…over 75 attendees! If you were in attendance, it was a great opportunity to network with many AGA colleagues. In summary, there was a good turnout, good food, and a great presentation by Hank Padeletti, Senior Tax Specialist, Internal Revenue Service. A special thanks is given to Vincent Parenti for his cost containing efforts and his attention to detail for this month's meeting. I commend all Chapter Executive Committee members and committee volunteers for ensuring a seamless event.

Speaking of taxes, our Chapter is participating in the VITA program again this spring at Clearview Mall. For success in this worthwhile program, we need volunteers. Contact Betty Salisbury at 504-255-2344 to participate.

Our Programs Chair, Jim Julian, has another great program scheduled for our February 20th meeting with a presentation on "Forensic Accounting" qualifying for one hour of CPE credit. I look forward to seeing you on February 20th at Doug's Restaurant in Slidell.

With much appreciation, I send thanks to all for the prayers and well wishes during my husband's recovery from heart bypass surgery. I am thankful for his speedy recovery.

Have a safe and fun-filled Mardi Gras,
Pam

I would like to take this opportunity to request that all members go to our website and review an electronic copy of our proposed bylaws @ www.nfc.usda.gov/aga. If you have any comments please forward them to Ronald Parent at ron.parent@usda.gov

The Chapter has been notified that the National Bylaws and Procedures Committee have approved the bylaws for the New Orleans Chapter.

It is important that everyone become familiar with the bylaws, because they are the rules under which the chapter operates.

We will vote on the bylaws at the February 2003 meeting.

Ron Parent, President-Elect

AGA President Pam Lincoln called the meeting to order at 11:50 a. m.  She introduced Betty Salisbury who announced the plans for the VITA Program this year.   AGA will once again provide volunteer income tax assistance at the Clearview Mall.  Any one interested in volunteering should contact Betty. For those who wish to volunteer there is an income tax refresher course available.  Betty also announced that there was $100.00 left over from the food basket drive and that the money was donated to the food bank.

Pam announced that all members should record their email address on the forms left on each table so that AGA records could be updated.

Marcie Tureaud announced that the next education event would be in March.  It will be an ethics class.

Pam announced that Ron Parent is in the process of updating AGA’s bylaws and after they are finalized they will be emailed to the members.

Linda Lewis then gave a presentation on the changes being made for membership dues.  The dues have increased but National is offering a $5.00 discount to members who renew by February 28, 2003.

The meeting broke for lunch.

Jim Julian introduced the afternoon’s speaker, Hank Padeletti, Senior Tax Specialist, from the Internal Revenue Service.  Mr. Padeletti went over changes in the tax law for 2002.  Some of the highlighted changes included changing of the threshold for filing a Schedule B, the adoption credit is at $10,000.00, and personal exemptions are at $3,000.00.  Mr. Padeletti then discussed the Tip Income Program which very pertinent to the New Orleans economy.

After the presentation, Mr. Padeletti was presented with a gift and the meeting was adjourned at 1:06 p.m.

Dawn Wagener, Secretary

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) volunteers are needed to assist taxpayers to prepare 2002 income tax returns on February 25, March 11, March 18, March 25, and April 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  AGA will provide this assistance at the Clearview Shopping Center site.    

VITA is an important service that AGA provides to the community every year and we need your support.  Please volunteer.  Self-study materials are available for those that are not CPA’s or IRS personnel.  Contact Betty Salisbury at 504-255-2344 or Betty.Salisbury@usda.gov to select a date.

Community Service Collections Continue

We can use the following:

1. Old Cell Phones to be reprogrammed and distributed to battered women to be used in emergency situations;
2. Books and magazines for La Fon’s Senior Citizen Center;
3. New or used maternity and baby clothing, baby toys, and diapers for the Crisis Pregnancy Center; and
4. Toiletries for the homeless.

Please support these community service activities.  Contact Betty Salisbury (504-255-2344) or Gerry Knepp (504-255-4602) for additional information.

AGA members can renew membership online via the Members Only section of the AGA website.  To renew online, just access the Members Only site, login, then press the “Renew Your Dues/CGFM Online” button.  Your information is updated immediately into the AGA database.

Use your member ID number and password (your first initial and last name with no spaces) to access this exclusive site for members only.  If you need your member ID number, contact Linda Lewis at 504-255-5902.

Don’t fail to take advantage of this offer!!
This offer ends COB February 28^th.

The following list includes sponsors from May 2002 through January 2003:

AGA’s monthly newsletter, Government Financial Management TOPICS, recognizes all of the above sponsors in the February 2003 issue.

If you interested in joining this distinguished list of sponsors, START RECRUITING TODAY!

AGA New Orleans Chapter member Clyde G. McShan, II, Senior Vice President, ACS Government Services, Inc., will be participating as a presenter at the 9^th Annual Government CFO-CIO Program Managers Conference “Supporting the President’s Management Agenda: Improving Government’s Performance in Delivering Program, Administrative and Business Services.”  Clyde’s presentation will cover Improving Performance:  The Big Picture – Entrepreneurship vs. Competitive Sourcing vs. Privatization. 

The conference will be March 19-21, 2003, Cafritz Foundation Conference Center, The George Washington University, 800 21^st St. NW, Washington, DC.  To view more detailed information, please go to: www.iibt.org/9cfoprog.htm.

AGA member Betty Salisbury will be participating in the National Finance Center’s Quarterly Disability Meeting on January 27, 2003.  Betty will provide general tax information that was of interest to employees that have family members with disabilities. 

For the last 15 years, Betty has volunteered with the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA).  VITA provides assistance with personal income tax preparation free of charge.

The New Orleans Chapter will hold it’s second training course for the program year in mid-March.  Ray Sheehan, Director of USDA Office of Ethics, will be at the National Finance Center to give a two-hour Ethics presentation to our members.  Mark your calendar for Tuesday morning, March 18^th .  Please contact Marcie Tureaud at 504-255-7818 or Chris Cutitto at 504-255-5903 to make reservations to attend.  All of the members will receive an official flyer and registration form soon.  But don’t wait!  Please make plans to attend now.  As you know, the New Orleans Chapter relies on our support of education events to fund our scholarship program as well as our fun socials.  We thank you for your continued support.

Marcie and Chris

ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTANTS
                                                         NEW ORLEANS CHAPTER

                                                           2002-2003

                                                         CALENDAR OF EVENTS

2003 CALL FOR NATIONAL AWARDS

AGA CONTINUES TO SHOWCASE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST!

We have some exciting AGA news and would like you to please help us spread the word. AGA’s National Executive Committee has created a chapter level award called "The Chapter Education Award".  This award recognizes the

outstanding work of AGA chapters in marketing and delivery of continuing professional education. The criteria and nomination form for this new award is posted on the homepage at http://www.agacgfm.org/about/a_awards.htm.

AGA’s National Awards Committee is now accepting nominations for our ten National Awards that recognize the leaders and chapter

teams advancing our profession and setting the standards of excellence: 

Einhorn-Gary Award
Robert W. King Memorial Award
Frank Greathouse Distinguished Leadership Award
Achievement of the Year Award
Education and Training Award
Cornelius E. Tierney/Ernst & Young Research Award
Special Achievement Award
Chapter Education Award (NEW!)
Chapter Service Award
Community Service Award

These awards will be presented during AGA's Professional Development Conference and Exposition in Chicago, IL June 29 -July 2, 2003.

In many cases, individuals do not have to be members of AGA to be eligible.

New Orleans Chapter members please submit completed packages for any award nominations to Shirlaine George, Scholarship and Awards Chair, shirlaine.george@usda.gov by Friday, February 21, 2003. 

Visit http://www.agacgfm.org/about/a_awards.htm for all nomination forms and more information or contact Sebrina Bridgers at bridgers@agacgfm.org or 800-242-7211, ext. 131.

Thank you for your time and assistance in getting the word out on this opportunity. 

APPLICATION PROCEDURES.

To participate in the CGFM Program, the candidate must provide the following information:

1. A CGFM application.
   
   
2. One of the following:  a copy of a college degree or copy of college or university transcripts showing that a degree was issued (unofficial transcripts are accepted) or a statement or transcript from the current employer showing that a degree was earned.
   
   
3. A nonrefundable application fee of $75, payable to the Association of Government Accountants, by check or money order (in U.S. dollars only); or by credit or debit card that carries one of the following logos:  Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover.
   
   
4. The Verification of Government Financial Management Work Experience Form.  This form should be completed by the candidate and signed by the candidate’s supervisor, verifying two years of professional-level employment in the government financial management field.  An employer transcript may be submitted with this form.

The work experience requirement is not a prerequisite to sit for the CGFM Examinations.  Candidates who have met this requirement are requested to submit this form at the time of application.  Please note that a certificate will not be issued until this form has been submitted. 

Once the application has been received by AGA, it will be reviewed to ensure that the above criteria have been met.  A Confirmation of eligibility will be sent to the candidate.  The confirmation will include the candidate’s unique ID number.  Once the confirmation has been received from AGA, the candidate will have three years to pass the three examinations.  For instance, if a candidate’s confirmation of Eligibility is dated June 15, 2000, he or she will have until June 15, 2003 to pass all three examinations. 

Instructions on how to schedule an examination will be included with the Confirmation of Eligibility.  Because the number of testing centers and locations is constantly expanding, they are not listed here. To locate the center nearest you, access the Prometric site finder on their website at www.2test.com.

When scheduling an examination, the Prometric operator will assist you in locating a convenient testing center.

If you need a CGFM application, please contact me at 504-255-6291 or email me at carolyn.sibley@usda.gov.

Carolyn Sibley, CGFM Director

We have received these flyers from Special Agent Sheila Thorne, Recruiter at the FBI New Orleans Office.  One lists all critical skills being sought by the FBI and the other is specifically targeted for CPAs or related degrees with 2 years work experience.  Also, you can view other non-agent jobs, which do not have age restrictions at www.fbijobs.com.  For more information, contact Agent Thorne at (504) 816-3315

  WANTED BY THE FBI

For more information contact:

Special Agent Sheila Thorne, Recruiter

(504) 816-3315

An Equal Opportunity Employer

www.fbi.gov

P.O. Box 29186
New Orleans, LA 70189-0186

TIME VALUE MATERIAL
PLEASE EXPEDITE

Please contact Linda Lewis (504-255-5902) with address corrections.